Samuel Baguma
Education and Sports State Minister, Mr Peter Ogwang, has said that government is welcoming partners that support the skilling dream of Ugandans as a sure method of tackling unemployment challenge.
While speaking at the handover ceremony of infrastructure worth billions of shillings at St Simon Peter’s Vocational Centre in Hoima city, Mr Ogwang acknowledged the contribution of the Belgian government towards improving skilling centres in Uganda.
“This feeds into our National Development Plan 3 (NDP 3) to tackle unemployment among the youths,” he said.
The minister commissioned infrastructure that houses a 96-bed dormitory, an Information Communication Technology (ICT) workshop and laboratory, an automotive workshop and a kitchen among other facilities that were handed over to the administration of St Simon and the leaders.
The facilities were built by Enabel Uganda and its partners.
The project that cost a total of 22 million Euros equivalent to about Shs83b has established similar infrastructure and equipment to Millennium Business School also in Hoima city and Uganda Technical College, Kyema in Masindi municipality.
Dr Joseph Ruyonga, the Member of Parliament for West Division, Hoima city expressed optimism that equipping the institutions will help the youth to get employment opportunities in the oil industry.
“The supported institutions are strategically located to help our people access jobs in the oil industry and also become job creators than seekers,” he said.
The law maker encouraged parents to consider supporting their children to attain vocational skills saying many companies investing in the Albertine region due to the oil activities will need a lot of skilled man power.
Speaking on behalf of the Bishop of Hoima Catholic Diocese, Monsignor Fr Robert Mugisa, applauded Enabel Uganda and the government for their support to the diocese in their skilling efforts in Hoima district and Bunyoro at large.
Rev Fr Patrick Mugisa, the Hoima Catholic Diocesan Education Secretary, said they are committed to ensuring that the infrastructure and the equipment received at their affiliate institutions of St Simon Peter’s Vocational Training Centre and Millennium Business School are used appropriately to benefit the target population.
